^^^
Leather lasts a really long time and I plan on using these beautiful,cool bags for a VERY VERY long time.
They are pretty classic and the style will always work. They are not extreme or baroque or over-designed. They don't stand out that much and for that reason are elegant. At the moment, small, structured (and usually hard shell) bags look the best with the clothes that are out now so that is what you see all the time. That will change. No mater what the prevalent style, a moto bag will always look right.
These moto bags look good with the clothes I wear and THAT determines their value and not some external idea of what's current. I'm smitten by the oldies and I don't care if they are losing their resale value. (I really don't think they are)
I'm holding on to all of them (just like I have with my Apple stock) because they will always be cool.
Oh, and I have a theory about Balenciaga production and quality that I would like to put out and see what you guys think. It occured to me that quality is good every other year starting with 05. There are many exceptions so please don't be pissed at me if I say a year is bad...OK?
Its just a theory...and possibly a lame one.
05=good
06=bad
07=good
08=bad
09=good
10=bad and so on.
Could there be any truth to this?
I just wish Balenciaga would get their quality under control and quit being so greedy.
This. I totally believe this to be the case, with one particular example from my own HG chase: last year I was super obsessed with getting an 08 Coral Vermillion GGH Part Time or Work. I looked all over the place and anxiously patrolled the auction sites and when I finally found one, I was freaking ecstatic! When it came, I really loved it, gorgeous color, beautiful hardware, great condition . . . what ultimately led me to sell the bag two months later was that the leather just did not display the qualities that drew me to Bal in the first place :rain:. It was smooth and kinda shiny and waxy seeming to me and when I parted with it, I felt very discouraged from getting a Bal from an 'off' year ever again- 2006, 2008, 2010. All my BBags now are from 07 (with one from 09), my fave year for leather and colors, and I'm sticking with that.
I'm a relative newbie to Balenciaga, too and they are a real investment for me- I do buy my bags carefully with the intention of using them for a very long time, but I have noticed, on the occasions I've sold Bbags, that it's unusual sell them at a profit or for what I paid, unless I got a phenomenal deal, even for a sought-after bag. Strangely, the 08 PT from the example above is the only one that sold at a small profit (rare, I think, and sold to someone who liked undistressed leather), I believe. Thanks everyone for all the good input on this very interesting question! :tpfrox: